Serious games for health promotion in adolescents - a systematic scoping review.

Digital gaming has broad appeal globally, with a reported 2.7 billion gamers worldwide. There is significant interest in using games to enhance learning, with 'serious games' being included in classrooms to engage adolescents' learning across a range of domains. A systematic scoping review of serious games used for health promotion with adolescents was conducted to identify serious games, review the methods used to evaluate these games, and outline evidence available to support the efficacy of these games in improving knowledge, beliefs/attitudes and behaviours in the target groups. Player engagement/enjoyment was reported if assessed. A total of 21 studies were found to have met the inclusion criteria domains: 'healthy lifestyle' 'sexual health' and 'substance use'. A heterogenous approach across studies to game design and development, duration of game play, use of a control group and measurement of outcome(s) was observed. Game efficacy was difficult to assess due to broad generalisations and lack of consistent evaluation methods. Several studies demonstrate serious games can be engaging and pedagogically effective as a learning device and behaviour-change agent. Several studies, however, had less rigorous evaluation and lacked longer-term follow up. The ability for developers to demonstrate positive short- and long-term impacts of serious games with high-quality evidence is essential to the ongoing acceptance and use of these serious games as part of the school curriculum.

Rethinking Adolescent School Nutrition Education Through a Food Systems Lens.

BACKGROUND: Obesity-driven nutrition education in schools does not appear to result in healthier adolescent food choices. This study explored food systems as an alternative pedagogical approach to engage students in nutrition education. METHODS: After playing a food systems computer game, 250 13- to 16-year-old students in 5 Western Australian secondary schools, participated in group discussions to distinguish learning and interests in food systems. Discussion records were thematically coded using constant comparative analysis. RESULTS: Students reported crop growth, food production and food waste, healthier food choices, and food systems as knowledge outcomes of game play. They requested additional content on food production, costing, handling, processing, and accessing local produce. Experiential activities were preferred pedagogical approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-curricular pedagogy which embraces human and planetary health through a food systems lens, can engage adolescents in nutrition education. Transformational computer games are effective to engage, educate and stimulate inquiry in food systems education.

Results of a phase 2 study of bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of single-agent bortezomib in indolent B-cell lymphoma that had relapsed from or was refractory to rituximab. Sixty patients enrolled: 59 were treated with bortezomib 1.3 mg/m(2) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 for up to eight 21-day cycles; responders could receive 4 additional cycles; maintenance was optional. Fifty-three evaluable patients completed more than 2 cycles. The median age was 70 years, 53% female, Ann Arbor stage III-IIIE (28%) and IV (65%); 43 patients (72%) had more than 2 prior regimens; and 6 patients went on to maintenance. Overall responses are as follows: 1 complete response (1.9%), 3 unconfirmed complete response (5.7%), 3 partial response (5.7%), 34 stable disease (64.2%), and 12 progressive disease (22.6%). Median time to response = 2.2 months (range, 1.2-5.3 months); duration of response = 7.9 months (2.8-21.3 months); 1-year survival was 73% and 2-year survival was 58%; median survival = 27.7 months (range, 1.4-30.9 months); median progression-free survival = 5.1 months (range, 0.2-27.7 months), median time to progression = 5.1 months (range, 0.2-27.7 months), and median event-free survival = 1.8 months (range, 0.2-27.7 months). Treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events included: thrombocytopenia (20%), fatigue (10%), neutropenia (8.5%), and neuropathy and diarrhea (6.8% each). This study demonstrates that bortezomib has modest activity against marginal zone and follicular lymphoma; it has the potential for combination with other agents in low-grade lymphomas. Maintenance therapy should be explored further.

Identifying Differences in Nutrition-Related Learning Interests of Adolescent Students.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we examined nutrition-related topics among adolescent students attending schools with different Indices of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). METHOD: Participating students (N = 206) from 5 schools in Western Australia completed a paper-based questionnaire on nutrition-related topics. Frequencies and independent chi-square tests were used to identify differences between sexes and school ICSEA. RESULTS: Of the participating students, 75% were interested in learning about 8 of 16 topics. We found statistically significant differences by sex (p < .01) for "Eating the right foods for preventing illness and disease," "Eating the right food for being active" among girls, and "Reducing food waste" among boys. We also noted differences by school ICSEA. CONCLUSION: Acknowledging sex and socioeducational differences in teaching and learning may help teachers to engage adolescent students in nutrition education.